Thread carrier control mechanism for straight knitting machines



P; s. CURRY Ndv. l, 1938.

THREAD CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 20, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet '1 jsnzl Elvrole:

1' arr ATTORNEY P. S. CURRY Nov. 1, 1938.

THREAD CARR 1BR CONTROL MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT-KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 20, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

L'zzrr AT RNEY.

P. s. CURRY Nbv. 1, 1938.

THREAD CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 20, 1934 8 h -She t 3 INVEN TOR: (lurk 2 5 A TTORNEY. v

/ :No v. 1, 1938. s RY 2,135,329

THREAD CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 20, 1934 v 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 'F1E- 7 Fizz-.5.

i I I IN V EN TOR:

A TTORNEY.

NOV. 1, 1938. p s CURRY 2,135,329

THREAD CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 2o, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

W ATTOR Y.

P. S. CURRY Nov. 1, 1938. 2,135,329 THREAD CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 20, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 W VMQIR W INVENTOR zu-z- J BY (5% W ATTO PIS. CURRY 2,135,329

Filed Aprii 20. 1934 8 S ts-Sheet 7 A .1 1 v w. u I

Nov. 1, 1938.

THREAD CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR'STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES INVENTOR: fire S Lfzrzjy, BY-

ATTOR NOV. 1, 1938. p, 5 CURRY 2,135,329

THREAD CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed- April 20, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THREAD CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Application April 20, 1934, Serial No. 721,519,

14 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism 'for selectively controlling a plurality of thread carrier bars or rods of a flat or full fashioned knitting machine.

One object of my invention is to provide means for selectively releasing a plurality of the thread bars which are yieldably connected toa reciprocating drive member and brought into action successively, each for a single needle-traversing movement, in a predetermined order or cycle, with each bar controlling an individual thread for a machine section, drawn from an individual cone or other yarn package, wherein all the threads are of substantially the same color and character, so that, particularly in the case of silk thread, the inevitable uneven portions, (i. e. where one portion of the thread is relatively thicker than other portions thereof) will not be fed to the needles of the knitting machine for the formation of two or more successively knit and interlooped courses of stitches, for the purpose of eliminating or reducing to a minimum the formation of the so-called shadows frequently found in knitted silk fabric and which in the case of silk hosiery are referred to as rings.

Other objects and attendant advantages will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of one illustrative embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a plurality of carrier rods of a flat knitting machine as drawing individual threads from a plurality of yarn cones respectively;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one order or cycle in which three carriers are successively actuated to lay the threads respectively controlled thereby to the needles of the knitting machine;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinally contracted plan view of sufficient of a flat knitting machine to illustrate the application of the mechanism of the present invention thereto;

r Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 44, Fig. 3, showing the carrier selecting mechanism in detail;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view looking in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 4;

50 Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 6--6, Fig. 5, showing the selector control cams in detail;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 1-4, Fig. 3; showing the ratchet mechanism for intermittently rotating the carrier selector shaft on which the selector cams are secured;

Fig. 8 is a plan View of the mechanism shown in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 9--9, Fig. 3, showing the mechanism for preventing overrunning or rotary drifting of the selector shaft;

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the line Ill-10, Fig, 9; 10

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line Il-H, Fig. 3, showing the carrier locking mechanism;

Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation taken on the line l2l2, Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line |3-I3, Fig. 3, showing the carrierreleasing mechanism and the selector shaft ratchet operating mechanism;

Fig. 14 is a rear elevation of the releasing mechanism as viewed from the plane I4|4, Fig. 3; v

Fig. 15 15a fragmentary transverse sectional elevation taken on the line l5-l5, Fig. 3, showing the mechanism for rendering the carrier rod locking mechanism inoperative;

Fig. 16 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line l6|6, Fig. 3, showing the synchronizing mechanism between the selector mechanism and the releasing mechanism;

Fig. 17 is a rear elevation of the synchronizing mechanism as viewed from the plane l|-l1, Fig. 3; and

Figs, 18 to 23, 18a. to 2311. and 18b to 2311- diagrammatically illustrate the synchronization of the carriers and carrier-releasing mechanism at the opposite ends of the machine during a complete cycle involving the laying of three individual threads successively to the needles of the machine for the formation of six courses of stitches by the needles.

Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5,13, 14 and 16 disclose various parts of Reading full fashioned knitting machine embodying the mechanism and elements of my invention. For the sake of clearness I have illustrated only those parts of the various mechanisms necessary for an understanding of the invention; the various other parts and mechanisms and their manner of operation are well known in the art, and are shown and described 50 in detail in the Reading Full Fashioned Knitting Machine Catalogue (copyright 1929) published by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, one type of flat 65 knitting machine, i. e. a full fashioned hosiery knitting machine, employs eight thread carrier bars or rods illustrated at I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, l and 8 respectively, while other fiat machines employ various numbers of carrier rods. Insofar as the present invention is concerned any machine employing two or more carrier rods is adaptable for use in carrying out the principles of the present invention.

In a full fashioned hosiery knitting machine of the type selected for illustrating the present invention, the carrier bars I to 8 inclusive are mounted in parallel laterally spaced relation to each other, for independent longitudinal reciproc'ation, in a plurality of relatively spaced carrier rod brackets l8 which.are secured to the center bed beam H of the machine, said beam, in turn, being secured to the main center and end frames |2l2 thereof.

The carrier rods l to 8 inclusive are adapted to be reciprocated by the usual Coulier motion of the machine through a longitudinally reciprocable slide rod l3 (see Fig. 4) on which is slidably mounted a series of friction boxes M. The friction boxes l5 normally are arranged to be manually connected to and released from the carrier rods I to 8 respectively, as desired.

The present invention, as a matter of illustration, involves the use of but three of the carrier rods, namely numbers 2, 3 and 5, for the sake of convenience.

As shown in Fig. 1, the carrier rods 2, 3 and 5, are provided with thread guides 2a, 3a and 511 respectively. The thread guides 2a, 3a and 5a. receive and control individual knitting threads X Y and Z respectively, which are drawn thereby from three separate yarn cones X, Y and Z, through the usual tensioning and moistening devices diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1.

The thread guides 20., 3a and 5a are adapted to lay their respective threads X Y and Z to one and the same group of needles, illustrated at IS in Fig. 1, in a predetermined order, each for knitting in the present case but a single course of stitches at any one time, and with no one of said threads being served to the needles for the formation of another course of stitches until each of the other threads X Y or Z as the case may be, has been knitted into a single course of stitches.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the selection of the carrier rods in a definite predetermined order is effected automatically. As a matter of illustration the three threads in the present case are arranged tobe fed to the needles in the order X Y Z which is repeated in corresponding cycles throughout the knitting of the length of the fabric. each thread making but a single course of stitches in its turn in each cycle.

Each of the carrier rods 2, 3 and 5 is provided with an actuating dog, illustrated at 2b, 3b and 51) respectively, by which these rods are adapted to be selectively and automatically connected to one of the friction boxes l4.

Each actuating dog comprises a pair of lugs l6, 16 (see Fig. 5) which are spaced longitudiplunger head 20 is provided with a steam 2| which is slidably mounted in the selector or rocker 22. The head 20 and the fingers l8 and I9 thereof are adapted for sliding movement in the selector 22, relative to the carrier rods 2,

3 and 5, for effecting engagement or disengagement of the fingers and the dogs on the carrier rods, said head and fingers being maintained in the desired position by means of a springprcssed detent 23 which is carried by the selector 22 and adapted to enter notches 24 and 25 formed in the stem 2| in spaced relation to each other longitudinally of said stem.

The selector or rocker 22 is mounted for pivotal movement on and relative to the friction box hi, on a short shaft 25 which is secured in the selector by a set screw 21 with the ends of the shaft extending in opposite directions from the opposite sides of the selector and pivotally mounted in bearings 28, 28 formed on arms 29, 29 which are formed integral with and extend laterally from one side of the friction box I4.

The arms 29, 29 are also provided with the second pair of bearings 30, 30 which encircle and are adapted to be moved longitudinally of a selector shaft 3!, which latter extends parallel to the slide rod I3 and carrier rods l to 8 inclusive.

The shaft 31 is rotatably mounted in bearings 32, 32 (see Figs. 9 and 10) which are formed on adjustable brackets 33, 33 respectively. Each of the adjustable brackets 33 is pivotally mounted on a bushing 34 which is carried in and extends laterally from a bearing 35 formed on the end of a fixed bracket 36 secured to a suitable portion of the frame of the machine.

The bushings 34 in addition to providing a pivotal mounting for the adjusting brackets 33 provide a slidable bearing for the friction box slide rod 13.

As shown in Fig. .9, each adjustable bracket 33 is provided with a pair of arms 31 and 38 in the outer ends of which are threaded adjusting bolts or screws 39 and 40 respectively, the adjusting screw 39 bearing against the upper surface of the rigid bracket 36 while the adjusting screw 40 bears against the underside of a friction box guide rod 13a. which is secured in and extends between the rigid brackets 36, parallel to the friction box slide rod l3, whereby the brackets 33 may be adjusted about the axis of the slide rod l3 for aligning the selector shaft 3| axially with the bearings 30, 30 carried by the friction box 14.

Adjacent the bearings 38, 38 (see Fig. 5) is a pair of selector cams 4| and 42 respectively, each of which is provided with a. sleeve-like hub 43 which is splined to the shaft 3| and is rotatably mounted in the bearing 3|! adjacent which the cam is positioned. Each sleeve hub 43 extends beyond the opposite side of the bearing at which its particular cam is located and is provided with a. collar 44 secured thereto adjacent its outer end, to prevent relative axial movement between the bearing and the cam, whereby, under longitu.

dinal reciprocation of the friction box 14, said cams will be accordingly reciprocated relative to and on the selector shaft 3! during each stroke of reciprocation of the friction box II as it effects longitudinal movement of one of the carrier rods 2, 3 or 5, as the case may be, through the selector 22 and fingers l8 and I9 carried thereby, to lay the thread controlled by the guide thereon to the needles 15 of the machine for the formation of a single course of stitches.

At the end of each needle-traversing stroke during reciprocatory movement of the friction box M the selector shaft 3| is rotated, in the present instance through an angle of 60, whereby the carrier rod previously moved by the friction box is released therefrom and whereby an operative connection is established between the friction box and another one of the thread bars, depending upon the position to which the selector 22 on the friction box I4 is moved by the above noted partial rotation of the shaft 3|.

The intermittent 60 rotations of the selector shaft 3| cause the cams 4| and 42 cooperatively to rock the selector 22 about its pivot, to release the connecting finger, |8 or l9 as the case may be, from the last operative carrier rod and to engage one of said fingers with the dog of the carrier rod next in turn to be actuated.

The selective rocking of the selector 22 by the cams 4| and 42 is effected through rollers Ma and 420, which are respectively engaged by the cams 4| and 42, said rollers Ma and 42a being rotatably mounted in angularly spaced relation to each other and to the axis of the pivot shaft 26, of the selector 22.

The intermittent 60 rotations of the selector shaft 3| are effected by mechanism shown in Figs. '7, 8 and 13. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the selector shaft 3| has secured thereto a ratchet wheel 5|]. Pivotally mounted on the shaft 3| adjacent the ratchet wheel is a pawl carrier 5|. Pivotally mounted at 52 on the pawl carrier 5| is a pawl 53 which is normally held in engagement with the ratchet wheel 50 by a spring 54 having one end secured to said pawl and its opposite end secured to the pawl carrier 5|.

Pivotally attached at 55 to the pawl carrier 5| is one end of a link 56, the opposite end of which (see Fig. 13) is pivotally connected at 51 to one arm 58 of a lever 59, which latter is pivotally mounted at 60 on a bracket 6| secured to one of the main longitudinal beams 62 of the machine. The second arm 63 of the lever 59 is provided with a cam follower in the form of a roller 64 which engages the peripheral edge of a cam 65 secured to the main cam shaft 66 of the machine.

As usual in full fashioned hosiery knitting machines, the main cam shaft 66 is adapted to be shogged axially to effect narrowing of the fabric by inwardly transferring groups of stitches adjacent each of the selvage edges of the fabric being knit on the bank of needles l5, during which time the thread carrier rods remain idle.

In order to prevent disruption of the predeter-' mined order in which the thread carriers are to be operated, in accordance with the present invention, shogging of the shaft 66 moves the cam 65 from under the roller 64 and moves a substantially circular disc 61 into alignment with said roller, whereby rotation of the shaft 66, while effecting the above noted narrowing of the fabric, does not effect any intermittent rotation of the selector shaft 3|.

The pawl 53 is provided with a handle 68 by which the pawl may be moved out of operative relation to the ratchet wheel 50 at such times as it may be desirable to knit a plurality of successively interlooped courses of a single thread fed to the needles I5 by a single carrier rod of the machine, in which case the pawl 53 is swung about its pivot 52 until the handle 68 of said pawl rests against a lug 69 formed on the pawl carrier 5|. During such movement of the pawl the spring 54 crosses the center of the pivot 52 of said pawl and holds the handle 8 firmly against the lug 69 against accidental engagement of the pawl with the ratchet wheel 50.

Longitudinal movement of the carrier rods to 8 inclusive is limited by stops I0, 10 carried by the narrowing nuts 1|, H at the opposite ends of the machine respectively, said narrowing nuts being moved inwardly in the usual manner in conjunction with the transferring of the stitches, as above referred to, by the usual narrowing screws 12 which are actuated in the usual manner from the cam shaft 66 when said shaft is shogged axially to effect said narrowing.

, As usual, the reciprocations of the friction box slide rod l3 are uniform and greater than the maximum movement required by the friction box M to effect full needle-traversing movements of the carrier rods as determined by the positions of the stops 1|] on the narrowing nuts hence the carrier rods to 8 engage the stops I0 and are stopped in their opposite longitudinal movements thereby. Such stopping of the carrier rods effects similar stopping of the friction box l4.

In order to prevent rebounding of the carrier example in the direction of the arrow (see Fig.

12), to engage its stop 10 on the narrowing nut H the arresting levers I4, 14 immediately drop behind the abutments 15 and prevent rebounding of the carrier rods when the same engage their respective stops 10.

When the rods are moved in the opposite direction, in the course of their reciprocation, the arresting levers 14, 14 are raised to clear the top edges of the plates 16, to permit movement of any one or all of the carrier rods at one time. The arresting levers 14 and the mechanism by which said levers are raised to permit the carrier rods, one and all or any thereof, to be moved, is standard equipment in this type of machine and forms no part of the present invention.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, each of the carrier rods 2, 3 and 5, in the present case, is individually locked against longitudinal movement except at such time as one of said rods is selected to lay its particular thread to the needles of the machine, and for this purpose each of the plates 16 on the carriers 2, 3 and 5 is provided with an inclined cam surface 11 and a notch 18 immediately behind the inclined surface 11 of said plate.

Secured to the guide bracket 13 for the arresting levers I4 is a housing 19 in which is slidably mounted, in the present instance, three springpressed plungers 80, 8| and 82 adapted to cooperate with and to lock the carrier bars 2, 3 and 5 respectively, said plungers each being beveled at its lower end, as indicated at 83, for engagement with the cam surface 11 on the carrier rod with which said plunger is associated to raise the plunger in the housing .19 against the action of its spring 84 as the carrier rod moves into the stop-engaging position shown in Fig. 12, said plunger immediately snapping off the rear edge of the incline 11 into the notch 18 behind said inclined surface and thereby locking the carrier against movement in an opposite direction.

The locking plungers 80, 8| and 82 are adapted to be actuated to release the rods 2, 3 and 5 at such complete set of locking plungers at each end of the machine for holding the rods 2, 3 and against accidental movement regardless of the end of the machine at which the rods may be stopped.

The locking plungers 8|], BI and 82 at one end of the machine, for example the right end, (which for future reference are identified as 89, BI and 82) are adapted to be released by a series of levers 85, 86 and 81 and those at the opposite or left end of the machine, identified as 800., 8 la and 82a, are adapted to be released by a series of levers 85a, 86a and 81a respectively.

The right end series of levers is pivotally mounted on a short shaft 88 carried by a bracket 89 which is secured to the narrowing nut 1| in the manner indicated in Fig. 3 and the levers 85a,

. 86a and 8la'at the left end of the machine are similarly pivoted on a shaft 88a carried by a bracket 89a secured to the narrowing nut H at the said left hand end of the machine as indicated in Figs. 3, 13 and 14.

The levers 85, B6 and 8'! at the right hand end of the machine are under control of cams 90, 9| and 92 respectively, which are splined to a releasing shaft 93 which extends across the back of the machine from end to end thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. The levers 85a, 86a and 870, are under control of a series of cams 90a, 9m and 92a respectively which are also splined to the releasing shaft 93.

The cams 90, 9| and 92 at the right end of the machine are provided with releasing lobes disposed at 120 apart at the one end of the shaft 93; said lobes are adapted to coact with the rollers I), Hi and N2 of levers 85, 86, and 8? and operate the latter against the action of the springs H3, H4 and H5. The cams 9641, Ma and SZa-at the opposite end of the shaft 533, although arranged in 120 spaced relation to each other for actuating the levers 85a, 86a and 810., are however so disposed relative to shaft 93 as to have their respective lobes coact with the rollers mm, Ia and ||2a of 85a, 86a and 81a and operate the latter against the action of springs Ha, I Ma. and |5a intermediate the operative actions of the lobes on earns 99, 9i and 92, see Figs. 18 to 23 inclusive. From said figures it will be observed that cams 90a, 9|, 92a, 80, 95a. and 92 are so positioned on shaft 93 as to successively operate the respective levers associated therewith at 60 intervals in the order named, a 60 rotative movement of shaft 93, effected following each reciprocation of the couliering mechanism, is in the present instance required to move one cam out of operation and in turn advance the following cam into operation, thereby requiring six reciprocations of the couliering mechanism to complete one operative cycle of the carrier release device.

The releasing shaft 93, like the selector shaft 3 i, is adapted to be moved in intermittent steps of 60 and for the purpose of so operating the shaft 93, in synchronization with the shaft 3|, the shaft 3| is provided with a sprocket wheel 94 and the shaft 93 is provided with a sprocket wheel 95. Passing around the sprocket Wheels 94 and 95 is a drive chain 96 (see Figs. 3, 16 and 17) The cams 90, 9| and 92 are mounted on and splined to the shaft 93 between a pair of bearings 91, 91 which are carried by the bracket 89, where by, as the narrowing nut 1| at the right hand end of the machine moves inwardly, the cams-are correspondingly moved axially along the shaft 93; extended portions of 91, 91 being employed to carry a rod I IE to which the springs 3, I I4 and I I5 are anchored. The cams 90a, Glu and 92a are similarly mounted between a pair of bearings 91a, 91a which are carried by the bracket 89a associated with the narrowing nut H at the left hand end of the machine for movement therewith; in this instance extended portions of 91a, 91a are employed to carry a rod |6a to which the springs 3a, HM and ||5q. are anchored in manner shown in Fig. 15.

In order to prevent excess rotary movement of 10 the shafts SI and 93, the shaft 3| is provided with a brake disc 98 mounted on one end thereof adjacent and in contact with a fiat braking surface 99 formed on one of the adjustable brackets 33 by which the shaft 3| is supported, said brake disc 98 being pressed against the braking surface 99 by a convexed spring disc I00 mounted on a. squared portion |0| formed on one end of the shaft 3|, the tensioning of the disc I00 being controlled by a pair of nuts I02 threaded on a reduced end I03 of the shaft 3|.

The operation of the mechanism forming the subject of the present invention through a complete cycle involving the knitting of six inter looped courses of stitches by three different threads will be fully understood upon referring to the illustrations of Figs. 2, 18 to 23, 18a to 23a and 18b to 23b inclusive.

With the finger l8 of the selector 22 in contact with the dog 2b of the carrier rod 2, the friction box l4 first moves to the right, as indicated by the arrow at in Figs. 2 and 18, until the right end of the carrier 2 engages its stop 7|] at the right end of the machine. At such time the rod 2 is locked, in the manner above noted, by the plunger 8|] (see Fig. 18b).

The shafts 3| and 93 are then synchronously rotated to the extent of 60, whereby the locking plunger 8| (see Fig. 19b) is actuated to release the carrier 3 and the selector 2? is rocked to move the finger i9 into engagement with the dog 36 on the rod 3.

The friction box M then moves to the left earrying the rod 3 in the direction of the arrow 12 (Fig. 19) until said rod engages its stop 10 at the left end of the machine and the rod is engaged and locked against reverse movement by the locking plunger 8|a (see Fig. 190,).

The shafts 3| and 93 are then again rotated to the extent of 60, whereby the finger IQ of the 5 selector 22 is moved into engagement with the dog 5b of the rod 5. At the same time the plunger 82a (see Fig. 20a) is actuated to release the rod 5.

The friction box M then moves to the ,right, carrying the rod 5 in the direction of arrow 0 (Fig. 20), until said rod engages its stop l'fi at the right end of the machine and is engaged and locked by the plunger 82 (see Fig. 20b).

The shafts SI and 93 are then again rotated to the extent of whereby the finger l8 of the selector 22 is brought into engagement with the dog 22) of the rod 2. At the same time the plunger 8|] (see Fig. 21b) is actuated to release the rod 2.

The friction box M then moves to the left carrying the rod 2 in the direction of the arrow 11 (see Fig. 21), until said rod engages its stop 10 at the left end of the machine and is engaged and locked by the plunger 80a (Fig. 21a).

The shafts 3| and 93 are then rotated 60, causing the finger [9 to be moved into engagement with the dog 3b of the rod- '3, and the plunger Bla is actuated to release the rod 3 (Fig. 22a), after which, movement of the friction box 75 l4 to the right carries the rod 3 in the direction of the arrow e, (Fig. 22), until said rod engages its stop 10 at the right end of the machine andis engaged and locked by the plunger 8| (Fig. 22b).

The shafts 3| and 93 then move another 60 causing the finger Hi to move into engagement with the dog b of the rod 5, the plunger 82 (see Fig. 23b) at the same time being operated to release the rod 5.

The next movement of the friction box M to the left carries the rod 5 in the direction of the arrow 1 (Fig. 23), until said rod engages its stop at the left end of the machine and is engaged and locked by the plunger 8211 (Fig. 23a).

The shafts 3| and 93 are then rotated to the extent'of 60 causing the finger l8 of the s elector 22 to be engaged with the dog 2b of the rod 2, at the same time causing the plunger 80a (see Fig. 18a) to release said rod 2 for the beginning of a repeat of the cycle as just described.

The above noted 60 rotations of the shafts 3| and 93 synchronously rotate the cams 4| and 42 and the cams 90, 9|, 92 and 90a, Ella, and 92a; such actuations of the cams 4| and 42 effecting the selection of the rod to be actuated by the friction box H by rocking the selector 22 into the proper position to place one or the other of the selector fingers |8 or IS in proper engageient with the dog 2b, 3b or 517 of the rods 2, 3 and 5 respectively; and the simultaneous actuation of. the cams 9|], 9|, 92, 98a, 9|a and 92a effecting release of the selected rod by rocking the lever 85, 86, 81, 85a, 86a or 81a, as the case may be, to lift the locking plunger 88, 8|, 82, 80a, 8|a, or 8211., as the case maybe, out of the locking notch 18 in the selected rod. 7

In event of it being desired to knit a number of succeeding courses of one and the same thread the selector pawl 53 is thrown out of engagement from the ratchet wheel 50 on the selector shaft 3| in the manner above noted, after which the thread desired for knitting may be manually selected by turning the selector shaft 3| by hand by the medium of a hand wheel I05 (see Fig. 3) secured to the shaft 3|.

The friction box I4 and the one selected carrier rod connected thereto will then operate in a normal manner to knit any desired number of successively knit and interlooped courses of stitches by the one thread controlled by the selected carrier rod.

In such cases it may be desirable to release all the carrier rods from their locking plungers 80, BI, 82, 80a, 8|a and 82a, in which case the brackets 89 and 89a, which carry the levers 85, 86, 81 and 85a, 86a and 810,, respectively are each provided with a short shaft Hi8, I06a, respectively having cams I01, |01a respectively secured thereto and arranged, as shown in Fig. 15, to engage the levers 85, 86, 81 and @8511, 88a, 81a.

respectively, said cams or their respective shafts being provided with handles I08 and I080. respectively, whereby said cams may be rotated to rock said levers and thereby lift said locking plungers out of the locking notches of said car rier rods.

Of course, the selective thread carrier bar con= trol means specifically shown and described can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a fiat knitting machine comprising a plurality of thread bars, a single means for longitudinally reciprocating all of said bars, and means responsive to operation of the machine including means for selectively connecting said bars to said reciprocating means, means for effecting said selections, means for locking said bars against longitudinal movement, means for releasing a selected bar from said locking means, and means for synchronizing the actuations of said selecting and releasing means including a shaft rotated step-wise and common to both said connecting and releasing means.

2. In a flat knitting machine comprising a plurality of thread bars, means for reciprocating said bars, means for selectively connecting said bars to said reciprocating means, variable means adjacent the opposite ends respectively of said machineand movable toward and away from each other for limiting the extent of the reciprocations of said bars, means carried by said variable means for locking each bar independently against reciprocation relative to said variable means, means carried by the variable means at each end of the machine for selectively releasing said bars from the locking means at such ends of the machine, means for synchronizing the actuations of the releasing means at the opposite ends respectively of said machine, including a control shaft extending from end to end of said machine and to which the selecting means on said variable means are respectively splined, and means for rotating said shaft.

3. In a fiat knitting machine comprising a plurality of thread bars, means for reciprocating said bars, means for selectively connecting said bars to said reciprocating means, variable means adjacent the opposite ends respectively of said machine and movable toward and away from each other for limiting the extent of the reciprocations of said bars, means carried by said variable means for locking each bar independently against reciprocation relative to said variable means, means carried by the variable means at each end of the machine for selectively releasing said bars from the locking means at such ends of the machine, means for synchronizing the actuations of the releasing means at the opposite ends respectively of said machine, including a control shaft extending from end to end of said machine and to which the selecting means on said variable means are respective ly splined, means for rotating said shaft intermittently including pawl and ratchet mechanism, and means for oscillating said pawl relative to said ratchet at the end of each stroke of each reciprocation of said bar-reciprocating means.

4. In a flat knitting mechine comprising a plurality of' thread bars, means for reciprocating said bars, means for selectively connecting said bars to said reciprocating means including a rotary control shaft, means for independently locking said bars against reciprocation, means for releasing a bar selected for reciprocation including a rotary control shaft, and means for synchronizing the rotations of said control shafts for effecting selection, connection and release of one of said bars simultaneously.

5. In a flat knitting machine comprising a plurality of thread bars, means for reciprocating said bars, means for selectively connecting said bars to said reciprocating means including a rotary control shaft, means for independently locking said bars against reciprocation, means for releasing a bar selected for reciprocation including a rotary control shaft, means for intermittently rotating said control shafts, and means for synchronizing the rotations of said control shafts for effecting selection, connection and release of one of said bars simultaneously.

6. In a flat knitting machine comprising a plurality of thread bars, means for reciprocating said bars, means for selectively connecting said bars to .said reciprocating means including a rotary control shaft, means for independently locking said bars against reciprocation, means for releasing a bar selected for reciprocation including a rotary control shaft, means for intermittently rotating said control shafts, means for synchronizing the rotations of said control shafts for effecting selection,-connection and release of one of said bars simultaneously, and brake means on one of said control shafts for preventing excess rotation of said shafts as'a result of said then simultaneous operation by said intermittent rotating means.

7. In a fiat knitting machine comprising a plurality of thread bars, means for reciprocating said bars, means for selectively connecting said bars to said reciprocating means including a rotary control shaft, means for independently looking said bars against reciprocation, means for releasing a bar selected for reciprocation including a rotary control shaft, means for intermittently rotating said control shafts, means for synchronizing the rotations of said control shafts for effecting selection, connection and release of one of said bars simultaneously, brake means on one of said control shafts for preventing excess rotation of said shafts as a result of said then simultaneous operation by said intermittent rotating means, and means for manually rotating said shafts for effecting selection and release of said bars independently of said intermittent rotating means. I

8. In a flat knitting machine comprising a plurality of thread bars, means for reciprocating said bars, means 'for selectively connecting said bars to said reciprocating means including a rotary control shaft, means for independently locking said bars against reciprocation, means for releasing a bar selected for reciprocation including a rotary control shaft, means for intermittently rotating said control shafts, means for synchronizing the rotations of said control shafts for effecting selection, connection and release of one of said bars simultaneously, brake means on one of said control shafts for preventing excess rotation of said shafts as a result of said then simultaneous operation by said intermittent rotating means, means for manually rotating said shafts for effecting selection and release of said bars independently of said intermittent rotating means, and means for rendering said intermit tent rotating means inoperative.

9. In a Hat knitting machine, a group of thread carrier bars, means including a step-rotated cam shaft for selecting said bars singly in predetermined sequence, means for reciprocating said bars to lay threads for knitting successive courses in said sequence, locking members individual to said bars spring pressed in the locking direction, and power operated means independent of and distinct from said bar reciprocating means including said step-rotated shaft for releasing said selected bars from their locking means only one at a time.

10. In a flat knitting machine comprising a plurality of thread carrier bars and a single means for causing longitudinal thread laying strokes of all said bars, in combination, selective lengthwise "of said bars, means exclusive of said bars for releasing from its said look only the bar selected by said connecting means including a shaft, and means for driving said second shaft from said first shaft.

} 11. In a flat full fashioned knitting machine, in combination, a plurality of thread carrier bars mounted for parallel reciprocation, means for reciprocating said bars, an automatically movable head having stops for determining the travel of said bars, spring actuated locks on said head in-- dividual to said bars, a shaft near said head, releasing levers pivoted on said head and each associated with one of said locks, means splined on said shaft near said head and individual to said levers for actuating the levers of said head only one at a time, and means to produce a stepwise rotation of said shaft.

12. In a flat full fashioned knitting machine,

the combination as set forth in claim 11 and in which the locks include locking bolts mounted above the thread carrier bars.

13. In a fiat knitting machinecomprising a plurality of thread carrier bars and a single means for reciprocating all of said bars, the combination of means for locking said bars against said reciprocation and including locking bolts mounted above said bars, means for selectively connecting said bars to said reciprocating means, a plurality of levers respectively controlling said bolts for said bars, and power means independent of said bars and common to all said levers for selectively operating said bolts to release only one of said bars preliminary to the beginning of a yarn laying operation.

14. In a fiat knitting machine, in combination, a cam shaft, a plurality of thread carrier bars, operating means including a single friction box for causing thread laying strokes of said bars, selective means for connecting said bars to said operating means in predetermined sequence and I for changing from one bar to another after each thread laying stroke, locks for said bars, stops for said bars, one or more movable supports on which said locks and stops are mounted, power means for shifting said support or supports at predetermined times, and power operated means for releasing from its lock a thread bar for oper ation at the beginning of a stroke of said friction box including a movement transmitting member other than said yarn carrier bars, and arranged to receive power impulses from the cam shaft, means for transmitting said impulses from said shaft to said member, and means to transmit motion from said member to said locks arranged to maintain operative relation between the locks and said member throughout the full range of movement of said supports.

PERCY S. CURRY. 

